Report: Visit to the Biomedical Museum, IMR
Members' Report
By Ong Su Ping, Choon Yan, Kwee Eng, C P Ng, Chong See Ming, Lai Wah, Shirley Lim, Wong Ee Lynn, Grace Chin and HY Leong
On 27th June 2025, twenty members of the MNS Selangor Branch (MNSSB) visited the Biomedical Museum at the Institute for Medical Research (IMR), located on Jalan Pahang. The IMR is part of the National Institutes of Health under the Ministry of Health Malaysia.
Guided Tour
Despite a half-hour delay due to peak hour traffic, the visit began promptly at 10:00 a.m. with a welcome briefing and a group photo.
The MNSSB would like to thank the staff for setting aside their morning to accommodate the branch visit.
Members' Say
Despite being held on a weekday, the visit was fully booked. Feedback was positive, with members sharing what they found enjoyable, educational, or memorable.
"I had no idea that Malaysia has a Museum by the Institute for Medical Research, under the Ministry of Health (Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia, KKM). The museum situated next to the Hospital Kuala Lumpur was well maintained, housed in a colonial building," wrote C P Ng. "Fascinating specimens of rodents, bats, birds snakes and documented history of IMR's existence (back to when the British had ruled Malaya). There were sections where IMR documented buffalo leeches and maggots for the use in wound healing. These remedies (applicable to wounds that diabetic patients suffer from) are made available by IMR and are distributed to KKM all over Malaysia. I am proud to be a Malaysian knowing that we have a Museum that can impart knowledge to the future generation. Once again, thank you, HY Leong for organising such an event."
Ong Su Ping shared that she learned a great deal about maggot debridement therapy and was actually not aware that it was practiced in Malaysia.
Shirley Lim, chipped in too: "IMR Malaysia has an important role in research & developing Maggot Debridement Therapy (MDT) and leech therapy especially for antibiotic resistant cases. MDT uses sterilised maggots to aid wound healing and control infection while leech therapy relieves vein congestion post surgery. IMR currently cultivates and supplies sterilised maggots and leeches to hospitals nationwide administering these therapies."
Yoke Mooi also agreed with Ng. "I did not know of such a museum until this organised visit to the Biomedical Museum by MNS Selangor," she wrote. "It was an interesting visit infused with history, science and the natural world. I especially enjoyed the galleries relating to birds, bats and snakes. Some exhibits lack information other than a label displaying its name. It was eye-opening to learn about how certain fauna contribute to the world of medicine."
"I learned how seemingly innocuous birds and other animals may be vectors for ectoparasites and communicable diseases," wrote MNSSB's acting-Chairperson Wong Ee Lynn.
The visit fostered a sense of pride in Malaysia’s biomedical heritage and deep appreciation for pioneers such as the late Dr Wu Lien-Teh and the late Dr Lim Boo Liat.
"(I) didn't envisage IMR's wide research (in) so many fields," recalled Lai Wah. "So proud to see so many initiatives by IMR: Dr Wu Lien-Teh honoured for his pioneering roles in medical sciences and recognised internationally, Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes for dengue management, the MDT, Medicinal Leech Therapy. The various birds, bats, snakes and wildlife galleries were equally captivating. Enjoyed the trip very much, with thanks."
The galleries featured preserved wildlife specimens, collected by IMR staff.
"Skins in the bird and mammal galleries were well preserved that the colours still look so vibrant," added Ong.
"Very happy to see for myself (the late) Dr Lim Boo Liat's collection, having heard so many stories from him," wrote Chong See Ming. "What an incredible legacy he has left behind."
Dr Lim was also a MNS honorary member.
For Choon Yan, it was about “visiting a vintage place,” and Grace Chin agreed, saying it’s good to explore “historical places nobody would’ve thought of before.”
Fittingly, the IMR holds special meaning for the MNSSB — IMR's Lecture Hall was the venue of the 6th MNS AGM on 27 June 1953, where the branch was officially founded. In its early years, the IMR frequently hosted Society events with the support of the then-Director Dr John William Field.
Although the IMR dates back to 1900 and its heritage building to 1928, the Biomedical Museum only opened in 1983. The visit offered members a chance to reconnect with this historic place and explore Malaysia’s biomedical legacy. It was a rewarding experience that members hope the MNSSB will repeat in the future.
About the Biomedical Museum – excerpt from a booklet published by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR)
The Institute for Medical Research (IMR) was founded in 1900, following a proposal by Sir Frank Swettenham, the then Resident General of the Federated Malay States. His vision was to establish a pathological institute in Malaya to advance scientific research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of diseases such as beri-beri and malaria.
This initiative echoed resolutions from the Berlin Conference of 1885, which called for improving the well-being of native populations through medical and scientific research. Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the site for the institute due to its central location and the region’s urgent public health challenges, including outbreaks of malaria, beri-beri, dysentery, smallpox, cholera, plague, rabies, and other infectious diseases.
The Biomedical Museum was officially opened on 4th June 1983 by YB Tan Sri Chong Hon Nyan, then Minister of Health. It was established to document and showcase the IMR’s scientific achievements and its contributions to public health in Malaysia and the region.
Housed in a historic building dating back to 1928, the museum remains Malaysia’s only dedicated biomedical museum. It features a wide range of exhibits, including specimens and artifacts related to medical and health research, with a collection dating back to IMR’s founding.
The museum maintains a repository of over 10,000 preserved dry and wet specimens—primarily small mammals, reptiles, and rodents of medical significance. It serves as a reference centre for rare species and historical biomedical data in Malaysia. Many of these specimens are also listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The museum continues to support research, taxidermy, archiving, and conservation activities related to biomedical collections.
For more info: Biomedical Museum
